Species
Chain Pickerel
Esox niger · family Esocidae
Live · updated
Native toothy predator of mill ponds, blackwater rivers, and grassy shorelines — especially common on the Eastern Shore. Hits spinners, spoons, and minnow plugs aggressively. Cold-weather fishery when bass have shut down.
Preferred conditions
- Water temp
- 45–80°F (ideal 60°F)
- Tide
- either
- Moon
- either
- Depth
- 3–15 ft
- Active months
- Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec
Best chain pickerel conditions today
Deep Creek Lake
Prettyboy Reservoir
Rocky Gap State Park — Lake Habeeb
Loch Raven Reservoir
Liberty Reservoir
Triadelphia Reservoir
Seneca Creek State Park — Clopper Lake
Lums Pond State Park
Burke Lake Park
Lake Anna State Park
Greenbrier State Park
Broadford Lake Park
Shawnee State Park
Raystown Lake — Seven Points Beach
Laurel Hill State Park
Cowans Gap State Park
Prince Gallitzin State Park
Gifford Pinchot State Park
Pine Grove Furnace State Park
Yellow Creek State Park
Tuscarora State Park
Cacapon Resort State Park
Lake Champlain
Blackwater NWR — Fishing Area
Monocacy River — Buckeystown
Jug Bay — Patuxent River
No locations match that filter.
Regulations by jurisdiction
Maryland (non-tidal)
Stale: last verified 140 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 5
Non-tidal MD: 14-inch minimum, 5 per day. Open year-round.
Source · verified 2026-04-22
Virginia (non-tidal — VDWR)
Stale: last verified 140 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 5
Non-tidal VA: 5 per day, no statewide minimum size. Lake Gaston and Buggs Island (Kerr Reservoir) have no daily limit. Less restrictive on size than MD (which requires 14-inch minimum).
Source · verified 2026-04-22
NY
Stale: last verified 103 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 15"
- Creel
- 5
15" minimum, 5/day.
Source · verified 2026-05-29
Maryland (tidal)
Stale: last verified 12 days ago.
tidal bay
- Min size
- 14"
- Creel
- 10
Tidal waters: 14" minimum, 10/day. Open May 1–March 14 (closed to harvest mid-March through April during spawning).
Source · verified 2026-08-28
Delaware (tidal)
Stale: last verified 12 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- no daily limit
Delaware gamefish with no assigned size or creel limit; default rule applies — no closed season, no size limit, no possession limit.
Source · verified 2026-08-28
PA
Stale: last verified 12 days ago.
non tidal
- Min size
- 18"
- Creel
- 4
Pennsylvania inland: 18" minimum, 4/day, open year-round. Certain fish-culture lakes are catch-and-release Apr 1–May 31.
Source · verified 2026-08-28
WV
Stale: last verified 12 days ago.
non tidal
- Creel
- 1
West Virginia: no minimum size, 1/day (2 in possession).
Source · verified 2026-08-28